Books
Bryan Burton, Moving Within the Circle: Contemporary Native American Music and Dance (World Music Press, 1993): This book includes descriptions of different regional styles of music, musical instruments and pow wows. It even has music and dance instructions for certain songs. The author notes the place and time that he learned each song or dance as well as the tribe from whom he learned it.
Don Contreras, We Dance Because We Can: People of the Powwow (Longstreet, 1996): In this book, interviews with powwow dancers are accompanied by gorgeous color photos of them in action.
Organizations Native American Music Awards - The "Nammys" have been awarded annually since 1998. The awards' official website includes streaming music, videos, a list of past winners, and links to winners' web pages. (The streaming music starts playing as soon as the website loads, so if you're in a library, you might need headphones!) Windows Media Player is required to view the videos.
Online Resources - Pow Wows Southern Native American Pow Wows - This site was created by a group of students in Texas and is based partly on their experience participating in pow wows. It includes information on dance styles and pow wow etiquette as well as a glossary of terms used at pow wows.
The Forty-Nine - This page is an excerpt from a series of radio programs about Native American culture. It provides information about forty-nines, which are special dances and songs performed at pow wows. The audio version includes clips from live performances.
Indian Country Today, which is described on the General Resources page, has an entire section devoted to pow wows. It includes lots of articles and photographs.
News From Indian Country is another general resource that has a special pow wow section with news about past performances and upcoming events.
Online Resources - Audio In Our Own Voices: Songs of American Indian Woman- This website was created by Smithsonian Folkways, the not-for-profit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It has links to audio clips of Native American music and information about the women performing.
Online Resources - Video Video Ethnographies - American Indian- This page from Smithsonian Folkways includes short videos of Native American musicians and dancers performing and talking about their work.
Wayne Newell and Blanch Sockabasin: Traditional Passamaquoddy Music From Maine - This is a video of a 2009 performance hosted by the Library of Congress. The video is 65 minutes long. You might want to watch a short part of it, or have it playing in the background while you do other things, but you can also sit down with popcorn and enjoy the entire thing. Requires Real Player to view.
Dineh Tah Navajo Dancers - "The Dineh Tah Navajo Dancers promote the understanding of the rich cultural traditions of the Navajo "Dineh" people. Their performances include dances and songs such as the Corn Grinding Act, the Basket Dance, the Bow and Arrow Dance and the Social Song and Dance. The group is made up of young dancers from throughout the Four Corners region of the Southwest that comprises the Navajo nation." This video shows a 2005 performance. It is 69 minutes long and requires Real Player to view.
Bryan Burton, Moving Within the Circle: Contemporary Native American Music and Dance (World Music Press, 1993): This book includes descriptions of different regional styles of music, musical instruments and pow wows. It even has music and dance instructions for certain songs. The author notes the place and time that he learned each song or dance as well as the tribe from whom he learned it.
Don Contreras, We Dance Because We Can: People of the Powwow (Longstreet, 1996): In this book, interviews with powwow dancers are accompanied by gorgeous color photos of them in action.
Organizations
Native American Music Awards - The "Nammys" have been awarded annually since 1998. The awards' official website includes streaming music, videos, a list of past winners, and links to winners' web pages. (The streaming music starts playing as soon as the website loads, so if you're in a library, you might need headphones!) Windows Media Player is required to view the videos.
Online Resources - Pow Wows
Southern Native American Pow Wows - This site was created by a group of students in Texas and is based partly on their experience participating in pow wows. It includes information on dance styles and pow wow etiquette as well as a glossary of terms used at pow wows.
The Forty-Nine - This page is an excerpt from a series of radio programs about Native American culture. It provides information about forty-nines, which are special dances and songs performed at pow wows. The audio version includes clips from live performances.
Indian Country Today, which is described on the General Resources page, has an entire section devoted to pow wows. It includes lots of articles and photographs.
News From Indian Country is another general resource that has a special pow wow section with news about past performances and upcoming events.
Online Resources - Audio
In Our Own Voices: Songs of American Indian Woman- This website was created by Smithsonian Folkways, the not-for-profit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It has links to audio clips of Native American music and information about the women performing.
Native American music from the Smithsonian Folkways collection - Click on an album to learn more about it, listen to sound clips, or download liner notes.
Digital Library of Appalachia - The DLA focuses on materials about Appalachia. It includes recordings of Walker Calhoun of Cherokee, North Carolina, singing Cherokee songs.
Online Resources - Video
Video Ethnographies - American Indian- This page from Smithsonian Folkways includes short videos of Native American musicians and dancers performing and talking about their work.
Wayne Newell and Blanch Sockabasin: Traditional Passamaquoddy Music From Maine - This is a video of a 2009 performance hosted by the Library of Congress. The video is 65 minutes long. You might want to watch a short part of it, or have it playing in the background while you do other things, but you can also sit down with popcorn and enjoy the entire thing. Requires Real Player to view.
Dineh Tah Navajo Dancers - "The Dineh Tah Navajo Dancers promote the understanding of the rich cultural traditions of the Navajo "Dineh" people. Their performances include dances and songs such as the Corn Grinding Act, the Basket Dance, the Bow and Arrow Dance and the Social Song and Dance. The group is made up of young dancers from throughout the Four Corners region of the Southwest that comprises the Navajo nation." This video shows a 2005 performance. It is 69 minutes long and requires Real Player to view.